Line-cutting tool



C. L. NlCHOLS-.

LINE CUTTING TOOL.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 10. 19:9.

1 325,901 Patented Dec. 23, 1919.

INVENTOR i dam/10x6 A T-TORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLARENCE LAMONT NICHOLS, OF RAVENSVVOOD, WEST VIRGINIA.

LINE-CUTTING TOOL.

Application filed September 16, 1919. Serial No. 822,907.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CLARENCE L. NICHOLS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Ravenswood, in the county of Jackson and State of V est Virginia, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Line- Cutting Tools, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a line cutting tool such is adapted to be used in severing drill connections and the like which have become lodged in a well or boring.

The purpose of my invention is the provision of a line cutting tool having cutting means which is operable automatically to cut a drill controlling line when the tool engages the drill, such means being normally inactive to prevent the accidental cutting of the line during manipulation of the tool to and from the drill.

I will describe one form of cutting tool embodying my invention and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a view showing in side elevation one form of cutting tool embodying my invention with the cover plate removed;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1; V

Fig. 3 is a detailed perspective view of the gripping jaw shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. A is a perspective view of the cutting jaw shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Similar reference characters refer to simi lar parts in each of the several views.

Referring specifically to the drawings, A designates the body of the tool, the upper end of which is tapered as at 15 and provided at its apex with a threaded extension 16 to which a controlling line or rod may be connected. At one side of the body A, I provide a line way 17 for receiving a linesuch as a wire or rope (not shown), for actuating the drill within a well. The line-way 17 extends upwardly through the tapered portion 15, as shown in Fig. 2, and terminates at one side of the extension 16, so that the tool may be moved upon the drill line without interfering with the controlling line connected to the extension 16. On the same side as the line-way 17 the body A is formed with a pocket 18 in which is mounted a grip ping jaw 19. One wall of the pocket 18 is. inclined toward the lower end. of the lineway 17 as at 20, while that face of the gripping jaw which contacts with the inclined Specification of Letters Patent.

wall is also inclined in the direction of the line-way so that when the latter moves downwardly within the pocket, it will restrict the line-way atthis point to eifect a gripping of the line, as will be understood. For maintaining the gripping jaw in contact with the inclined wall 20, I provide a rib 21 which as shown in Fig. 3, extends along the inclined edge of the jaw and works within a slot 22 formed in one side wall of the slot 18. The front edge of the gripping jaw 20 is formed with a series of teeth 19 which project nowardly, as shown for. a purpose to hereinafter described. Upon the opposite side of the lineway 17 the body A is formed with a pocket 23 having oppositely inclined upper and lower walls which are connected by the rounded wall 24. The wall 2% acts as a bearing for the rounded portion of the roundedend of a cutting jaw 25, and this jaw 25 is confined within this portion of. the pocket by means of a pin 26', which as shown in Fig. 4, extends laterally from one side of the jaw. The outer end of the jaw 25 is sharpened to provide a cutting edge 27. As shown in Fig. 2, the pockets 18 and 23 as well as a part of the line-way 17 are closed by a cover plate K secured at suitable points by screws.

As shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the up per walls of the pockets 18 and 23 are recessed. to receive coil retractile springs 28 and 2-9 which are secured therein by means of pins 30. The lower ends of the springs 2S and encircle lugs 31 and 32 formed on the jaws 25 and 19, respectively, and serve to bias the jaws to. the dash lines in Fig. 1. r As illustrated to advantage in lower end of the body A is recessed to provide a chamber C in which works an operating rod R actuating thelocking plate P. The plate P is mounted forsliding movement within aslot 33, which r-formsa-communication between the chamber 0 and the front 516.3 of the body A. -As shown'in Fig. 1, the'front ergo of the plate P is re-.

cessed centrallythereof to accommodate a,

line mounted in th line-way 17 As shown inFig. 2, the plate P is formed with'a slot in which works the-rod R, such rod being bent longitudinally, to provide acam K.which projectsand retracts the locking. plate-i into andout of the line-way 17, according as the rod occupies one extreme position or. the other. VVhen in this po- Fig. 2, the

positions indicated in to coact to sever the line.

sition plate P rests within recesses 35 and 36 formed in the jaws 25 and 19 respectively, thus locking th latter against movement under the action of the springs 28 and 29.

' The lower end of rod' R is formed with a circular portion 37, which has a sliding fit within'the chamber C to actuate and guide the rod R in actuating the plate P. The movement of the rod R by the portion 37 is limited by virtue of a pin 38 working within a slot 39 formed in the portion 37, it being understood that the pin 38 engages one end or the other of the slot 39, accord ing as the rod R- is in one extremeposition or the, other.

In the operation of the cutting tool, it is lowered until it engages the upper end of the drill or drill socket. With the movable parts of the tool in their normal or set position, as shown in Fig. 1, the jaws 19 and 25 do not'engage the line as they are locked in set position by means of the plate P. In this position of the'plate P the portion 37 projects beyond the lower end of the body A so that when the tool engages the drill, the portion 37 is moved upwardly, thus actuating the rod R and retracting the plate P from the recesses 35 and 36. As soon as this occurs the gripping jaw 25 moves downwardly to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1 under the action of its spring 29. In this position, the jaw 19 forces the line toward the cutting edge of th jaw 25. In the meantime the jaw 25 moves to the dotted line position under the action of the spring 28, thereby causing the cutting edge 27 to engage the line. With the jaws in this position, the entire tool is now slightly elevated on the line so that the teeth 19 of the gripping jaw 19 engage the line and force the jaw to the lowermost position within the pocket 18. This causes the line to be forced into engagement with the cutting edge 27 and because of the manner in which the jaw 25 is pivotally mounted, the latter also swings downwardly simultaneously with the jaw 19, thus causing the two After the line has been severed the. tool may be readily withdrawn from the well.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of cutting tool embodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made herein without departing from the spirit of the invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, claim is 1. A line cutting tool, comprising a body formed. with a line-way, a palr of pockets what' I v on opposite sides of the line-way, a gripp ng 'aw in one of said ockets surfaces on the l 7 body and one wall of the corresponding pocket, inclined toward the lineway, a cutting jaw pivoted to the other pocket for movement in the direction or the line-way, means for biasing the jaws downwardly to the line-way, a locking plate slidable transversely of the line-way and adapted to engage the aws for locking the same in retracted position against the action of said biasing means, an operating pin bent to provide a cam which is slidable to engage the locking plate for moving the latter out of engagement with the jaws.

2. A. line tool, comprising a body, having a line-way formed therein,-a gripping jaw slidably mounted in the body and biased toward the line-way, a cutting jaw pivotally mounted on the body and biased toward the line-wa and means for looking the jaws in a position against the action of their bias.

3. A. line cutting tool, comprising a body having aline-way iiorn'ied therein, a slidable gripping jaw, a pivoted cutting jaw, said aws being mounted within the body upon opposite sides of said line-way and biased toward the latter, and means for locking the aws in a position against the action of their bias comprising a slidable plate adapted to engage the jaws, and means projecting from the lower end of said body for retracting said plate.

4-. A line cutting tool, comprising a body having a line-way formed therein, a gripping jaw, a cutting jaw, said jaws being mounted in the body and biased toward the line-way, means for locking the jaws in a position against the action. of their bias comprising a plate slidable in the body, and a rod bent to'provide a cam which is engageable with said plate to move the latter into and out of engagement with said jaws.

5. A line cutting tool, comprising a body having a line-way formed therein, a slidable jaw on one side of the line-way, said jaw and body having inclined surfaces for moving the aw toward the line-way when the same is moved downwardly, a cutting jaw pivoted in the body upon the opposite side of the line-way, springs for biasing the jaws downwardly toward the line-way, recesses formed in the jaws, a slidable plate adapted to rest in said recesses for holding thejaws against the tension of said spring, and a rod slidable through said plate and having a cam formed thereon for actuating the latter, said rod projecting from the lower end of said body.

CLARENCE LAMONT NICHQLS.

Witnesses-a EARL Bnnno, DICK FREN 01-1. 

